Najah Casimir

Stefanie and Najah make up one half of the Active Transportation Team within the City of Boston’s Transportation Department. With guidance from residents and the support of Mayor Walsh, Stefanie and Najah created Neighborhood Slow Streets, the City’s first traffic-calming program in more than 15 years. Slow Streets zones are selected through a simple and transparent application process that prioritizes areas with the greatest need. Stefanie and Najah have a long history of working to make streets better for people. Stefanie, previously the deputy director of the National Complete Streets Coalition, helped lead the growth of a national movement for traffic safety and streets designed for people. Najah holds a degree in Planning from MIT but gained most of her experience with cities during her 18 years of living in Philadelphia. As a 5-year-old, she and her neighbors made front-page news by fighting the City of Philadelphia when the City refused to unlock a hydrant. The community won the fight and spent the summer enjoying their street-corner-turned-water-park. Together, Najah and Stefanie share a love of Beyoncé, cat gifs, and the ¯_(ツ)\_/¯ emoticon.